Nurturing Your Health: The Foundation of Your Impact

Hey Reader!

Physical Health – The Foundation of Your Energy

As early childhood educators and caregivers, your well-being is essential—not just for yourself but for the children you serve. It’s mid-January and many people have already abandoned their health goals for 2025! Today’s newsletter is not another diet and exercise plan, but it IS filled with a few practical tips to help you stay as healthy as possible! When you prioritize your own health—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—you can create a more positive, nurturing environment for the young children in your care. We’re focusing on physical health this week. (Listen in to Monica’s conversation with Jennifer Pickett for some very practical ideas for staying healthy in body, mind and soul!)

Your physical health is the foundation of your ability to care for young children. Children look to you for comfort, guidance, and they expect some energy-filled activities. They need you to be able to pick them up, hold them, jump and hop and march with them! When you prioritize your body’s physical needs, you set the stage for a thriving YOU and a thriving classroom.

Why It Matters

• Energy for Active Days: Teaching young children requires stamina. Staying physically healthy ensures you can engage fully with the children in your care from the time you arrive until you leave.
• Boosted Immunity: A healthy body helps you avoid frequent illnesses, minimizing disruptions for your students.
• Positive Modeling: Even the littlest children are watching you! Your habits, such as choosing nutritious snacks or staying active, teach children about healthy choices in their own lives.

Practical Tips

1. Stay Active: Incorporate a little more movement into your day – it’s as easy as joining in with the active play of your students – participate in the dance party, join in on the game of tag outside, march down the hall with your students!
2. Eat Well and Stay Hydrated: Pack balanced meals and snacks to maintain your energy throughout the day and drink your water!
3. Sleep Smart: Establish a bedtime routine to ensure you get consistent, quality rest. Sleep is one of the BEST things you can do for your physical health.

CHALLENGE: This week, we’re challenging you to spend an extra 15 minutes each day doing something positive for your physical health. It can be something like parking further away from the building so you take a few extra steps as you go to/from work or spending few minutes packing a healthy lunch and snack or even going to bed 15 minutes earlier this week!! What are you going to do to keep yourself in tip-top shape for the babies in your care? Let us know by replying to this email!

Cheering you on this week!

-Your ECCN team

P.S. You might want to use this handy habit tracker to document your new habits!

Listen to this podcast episode with host Monica Healer now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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Colossians 3:16

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”